Photos of birds, fish, flowers and miscellaneous things that catch my eye and instill a sense of wonder.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Two-striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis hammondii

Two-striped Garter Snake, Thamnophis hammondii, Tijuana Estuary reserve, California. These little non-venomous snakes have toxins in their saliva that will cause an unpleasant reaction in humans but are generally considered not a threat. They are found in Western North America from Salinas, California down through Baja, Mexico, generally near water. While this little snake was sunning in the middle of the path (probably due to the cold Winter air temperature), these snakes are primarily aquatic, preying on tadpoles, small fish, frogs, toads and newts.